[Nekozuka Hibiki cosplay] Blue Archive, a lively cheerleader girl

Slipping into this blue and white sportswear cheer outfit, I completed this shoot under the natural light streaming through the window. Without complex studio settings, school desks and a volleyball were the best interactive props. This time, I chose to recreate Blue Archive's Nekozuka Hibiki cosplay in her cheerleader outfit. Actually, before cosplaying this look, I kept thinking about how to capture that everyday yet sporty vibe of hers. The goggles and animal-eared hair accessories on her head are essential soul components; considering the setting was a classroom with bright, translucent light, it gave the overall tone a particularly refreshing feel.

The biggest challenge during the shoot was actually achieving visual balance between the bright yellow pom-poms in my hands and the blue and white sportswear on my body. I repeatedly adjusted the posing and angles of holding the pom-poms, striving to make the colors look energetic without feeling cluttered. The cheerleader top has a slim fit, so to represent the character's form well in photos, paying attention to body line curvature before shooting was necessary. The white pleated skirt combined with a sporty neck ornament makes for a classic campus athletic combination. The volleyball I held was also specially prepared; although it wasn't tossed in the air, placing it on the edge of the desk as a scene anchor instantly gave the photo set a narrative feel, as if I had just returned from the sports field and was resting at the desk.

For makeup, I retained a touch of her original blue eyeshadow tone and yellow star stickers to highlight the expression of her large eyes. Many fans call her a 'doggie', which I think is super fitting—that dog-like alertness mixed with goofy lovability creates a wonderful contrast gap moe under the cheerleader cosplay wrapper. The photographer and I shared great synergy during the shoot; we didn't force any high-difficulty, complex poses, keeping it easygoing and natural. Because the window light was strong, the soft diffuse bounce light turned out to be very forgiving for skin tones, making skin texture look fine and clear.

Actually, for every cosplay, whether preparing costume props or styling wigs, thorough prep work is essential. Before cosplaying this character, I specifically caught up on her game storylines to gain a more three-dimensional understanding of her personality. I don't really like forcing poses on set too hard, as that makes photos look awkward. Leaning against the edge of a wooden desk and gesturing casually with pom-poms better reflects the animal-eared girl I understand her to be—an energetic, positive girl willing to sweat for Millennium's cheerleading activities.

Post-processing for this set didn't involve complex special effects either, mostly restoring the highlight color temperature of the scene while preserving fabric folds and light-and-shadow contours on the costume. While the entry barrier for cosplaying varies by person, I always believe that investing true heart and love for the character is the core. Through this work, I hope to show everyone a handsome yet cute supporter image for the sports field. During the shoot, we tried to recreate the bright atmosphere of the anime and game artwork. Of course, maintaining neatness in sporty attire during dynamic shoots is tough; the goggles even fogged up slightly from sweat, but fortunately, the final images preserved the overall crispness.

I've always believed that great cosplay is not just imitating appearances, but capturing the character's inner spirit. In this photo set, I didn't add fancy special effects or complex backgrounds; I just wanted to freeze that pure, energetic beauty of the character through the simplest, cleanest elements. Many fellow fans asked me why I love cosplaying her—it's simply because I love her straightforward, focused, and pure personality. Through the lens, I can briefly experience that youthful Millennium campus life, which is perhaps my most primal motivation for cosplay. As long as I put on this outfit and pull out the bright yellow pom-poms, I can find the energy and joy belonging to Nekozuka Hibiki. I hope these photos can pass along this positive, uplifting energy as well.